Massive fire destroys 10 fishing boats in Kerala's Kollam
Kollam (PTI): Around 10 fishing boats anchored in Ashtamudi Lake were gutted in a massive fire in the early hours of Sunday, police said.
The incident occurred in the Kureepuzha area under the jurisdiction of the Anchalumood police station.
According to police, the blaze was first spotted past midnight, and the boats, anchored in a row, caught fire. Residents and fire personnel rushed to contain the flames.
"As per preliminary assessment, around 10 boats were destroyed. The exact cause is yet to be identified, but a gas cylinder blast is suspected," a police officer said, adding no casualties have been reported.
Lok Sabha MP N K Premachandran urged the government to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident, citing repeated fire outbreaks in the region, including a similar case at Mukkad just days ago.
"Recurring incidents have caused widespread concern among those dependent on the fisheries sector," Premachandran said, noting that preliminary suspicion points to a gas stove explosion.
He called for a detailed investigation to determine the cause and urged the government to provide compensation to those affected.
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Pune journalist booked on voyeurism charge for filming woman at lodge
Pune (PTI): Police have registered a case of voyeurism against a television journalist in Pune for allegedly filming a woman in an objectionable position without her consent at a lodge in the city, officials said on Saturday.
The FIR was filed against Rohan Kadam under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 77 (voyeurism) and 3(5) (common intention) at the Vishrambaug police station here, while the complaint mentions that he was accompanied by three other journalists, they said.
The incident took place on April 8 when the accused had checked into a room at a lodge in Budhwar Peth, which houses a red light area.
In her complaint, the woman said that while she was wearing her saree after establishing "physical relations with a customer", she realised that an unidentified person was filming her through a net above the partition wall between the rooms.
She opened the door of her room and knocked on the adjacent door, asking the person to come out, the FIR said.
"The woman sought clarification from Kadam, who gave vague answers and refused to show his phone. When the lodge operator, the woman and others questioned him, he claimed that they were a group of four journalists conducting a sting operation," it said.
Police said Kadam was assaulted when he allegedly tried to flee from the spot.
The woman later approached the Vishrambaug police station and lodged a complaint.
"We have registered a case in this regard and further probe is on," a police officer said.
Meanwhile, the Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ) has written a letter to city Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, seeking action against the journalist for the alleged act.
In the letter, the journalists' body said there were murmurs that some journalists and others were trying to ensure that no offence is registered in the matter.
"We do not agree with this and clarify that PUWJ will not come in the way of the probe," the letter stated.
